1. Field of the Invention
Analyte sensors (e.g. glucose sensors used in the management of diabetes) and methods and materials for making and using such sensors.
2. Description of Related Art
Analyte sensors such as biosensors include devices that use biological elements to convert a chemical analyte in a matrix into a detectable signal. There are many types of biosensors used for a wide variety of analytes. The most studied type of biosensor is the amperometric glucose sensor, which is crucial to the successful glucose level control for diabetes.
A typical glucose sensor works according to the following chemical reactions:
The glucose oxidase is used to catalyze the reaction between glucose and oxygen to yield gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide (equation 1). The H2O2 reacts electrochemically as shown in equation 2, and the current can be measured by a potentiostat. These reactions, which occur in a variety of oxidoreductases known in the art, are used in a number of sensor designs.
Problems associated with electrochemical sensors include less than ideal sensitivity and signal to noise ratios, particularly at low concentrations of analyte, as well as the degradation of sensor function over time. Consequently, methods and materials designed to address such challenges in this technology, are desirable.